Born Amongst a Storm
by GillyTweed
Summary: Clarke Griffin had a good life. She lived on the pirate ship The Arkadia. She cared for her crew as their doctor and led them as their Quartermaster. She had a good life, a simple life. That is until her idiot Captain had to catch a mermaid with a harpoon gun. That made things a little bit complicated.
1. Chapter 1

Born amongst a Storm

Pairing: Clexa

Rating: Children Shouldn't Read Alone (T)

Notes: Here's a new fic (even though I have like… what? 5 unfinished ones already posted?). It's a mermaid AU, and the first fic I've posted for the 100 that isn't set in some form of canon, so I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

Clarke lay, swaying in her hammock, the gentle lapping of the waves soothing as she napped. It had been a while since she'd been able to have some down time; the injuries of her crew, her family, taking priority over her own rest. She shifted slightly, throwing an arm over her eyes as sunlight streamed in from a port hole. The sounds of the crew going about their duties was a relaxing hum in the background. The residents of the Arkadia were on their way to one of the less monitored ports to spend what loot they'd managed to acquire from their last raid. While she didn't always agree with the methods she and her band of lowlifes used, she couldn't deny their effectiveness as her foot gently tapped against a burlap sack hanging from the post supporting her hammock, filled to the brim with an assortment of valuables.

A low groan escaped the ship's doctor as the sounds from above deck became louder, disturbing her light snooze. Lifting her arm slightly, she squinted at the closed door that blocked her quarters, the infirmary, off from the rest of the ship. If she wasn't going to be able to sleep, she might as well find out what was going on. Sitting up slowly, she stretched out the kinks in her back before snatching her coat from its hook on the wall. Its blue fabric encasing her form, fitting over her shirt and doublet comfortably. Leaning over with a groan, she snatched her boots from the corner where she had shucked them only a few hours ago. She slipped them on quickly, tapping the toes against the floor to adjust them as she stood. Grabbing her belt, adorned with a knife and pistol, from a wall hook, she slipped into the hall. A few crew members were running along its narrow confines, obviously giddy with excitement. Pausing for only a moment, the blonde doctor reached out and snagged one of the hurried pirates.

"Jasper, what's happening?"

The skinny boy beamed, eyes dancing excitedly. Clarke narrowed her eyes at him, knowing full well he was to be resting considering the rather nasty sword wound he had taken to the chest. While the boy was excitable, it wasn't like him to go against her orders.

"Bell caught a mermaid!"

She scoffed at the idea. Mermaids were myths mothers used to scare children into staying in bed, and to convince sailors on night watch to be warier. Not only should they not exist, it was the middle of the day, completely contradictory to any mermaid tales she had ever heard.

"I highly doubt that. What's really happening?"

Jasper gave her a gleeful grin and grasps her arm tightly before dragging her towards the upper decks.

"Come on, Doc, you gotta see to believe!"

The lanky boy dragged her with surprising strength, considering his build and injury. She resisted little, realizing that she was going to see this "mermaid" whether she wanted to or not. Stumbling out into the bright sunlight, she shielded her eyes with her hand, squinting at the sudden assault. The upper deck was crowded, the majority of the crew encircling whatever spectacle was occurring.

When she was finally able to push through the mass of bodies, she gasped. There, writhing on the wood planks of their ship, was a mermaid, the long body of a harpoon sticking prominently out of her shoulder. Black fluid seeped from the wound, pooling around the poor creature. Standing above her, she saw Bellamy, the Captain of their little ship, holding a harpoon gun high with a triumphant smile. It made her blood boil as the crew cheered.

The mermaid continued to spasm, furling and unfurling her tail, unable to find a position that didn't bring immense pain. The creature was beautiful, even when in such obvious agony. Her human half was topless, long strands of damp brown hair were pulled back, providing little modesty from the countless eyes surrounding her. Her face was angular and pale, and obviously attractive despite her features being twisted into a pained grimace. Green eyes glared up at those around her, filled with unmistakable hatred. However, underneath the anger, there was fear and it made the blonde's heart clench.

Gritting her teeth, the doctor shoved bodies aside, anger clearly written on her features. How could they, her friends, her family, harm a beautiful being such as this and rejoice at her pain? It made her feel sick with guilt and rage. Shrugging off her jacket, she held it over the mermaid, careful of the harpoon, but shielding her from the less than polite eyes she could spot amongst the crowd.

"What the hell are you smiling about? You just shot a living person and are treating them like a prize!"

Her voice barked out sharply, hiding none of her displeasure. The cheers and celebration quickly tapered off, replaced by guilty shuffling and muttered apologies. Bellamy lowered the gun that he'd been waving above his head triumphantly, a hint of shame in his eyes. Turning, she glared at everyone gathered before snapping out orders.

"Harper, Monty, go grab the biggest tub we have. Bring it to the infirmary and fill it with water."

The two named pirates nodded hurriedly and dashed off to follow their instructions.

"Monroe, go grab some bandages. They're stored on the shelf right of the door, beside the wash basin."

Monroe scrambled off without a word. Scanning the crowd, for anyone that wasn't injured to gather more things she needed.

"Miller, go gather as many clean wash cloths as you can and bring them to the Infirmary. They have to be as clean as possible."

The stoic boy nodded and disappeared to do his task. Ticking off her mental checklist, she nodded to herself, then addressed the crowd at large.

"All of you should be ashamed of yourselves. As punishment, I want the entire ship cleaned by tomorrow evening, and there will be no hot meal tonight. Only cold rations. Clear?"

Groans and protests soon followed, but were quickly silenced when a shot from a pistol rang through the air. Breathing heavily, her glare intensified as she lowered her gun. She held her jacket in one hand, still shielding the mermaid as she returned the pistol to her belt. The silence was deafening as she glowered. Turning to Bellamy, she curled her lip.

"That includes you. If you don't help clean, we will have words."

Her voice was steely, obviously done with the situation. The Captain nodded, knowing better than to argue with the furious doctor. Dropping the harpoon gun to the deck, the older boy quickly stepped around it and began yelling instructions to gather buckets and mops.

Sighing, she quickly knelt next to her unexpected patient. The mermaid had stilled as she'd rebuked her crew, hand pressed to her wound in an attempt to slow the flow of blood. Green eyes stared up at the doctor, filled with pain, but also wariness and confusion. Gently, the blonde set her jacket atop the mercreature, keeping her movements as slow and nonthreatening as possible. Keeping her hands slow, she unsheathed the dagger from her belt, stilling when the mermaid stiffened.

"I'm going to use this to cut off the wood shaft so I can get the head out of your shoulder more easily."

She gestured with her free hand, indicating the wooden shaft and the metal head that had pierced through the mermaid's shoulder. Once the shaft was removed, the amount of harpoon that she would have to pull out would be less than half of its original size, and her patient wouldn't have to suffer through her pulling the wider shaft through the narrow wound. In the back of her mind, she wondered if merpeople spoke English, as she hoped she was understood. After a moment, the mermaid swallowed visibly, but gave a stiff nod, granting consent to her actions.

Nodding in return, she brought the blade up slowly and wrapped her hand around the wooden shaft. Pressing the knife to the rope that secured the harpoons shaft to the head, she began to saw, wincing whenever a groan of pain would escape the injured girl. Finally, after what felt like hours but was really only a few minutes, the shaft came free.

Placing the blood soaked wood aside, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Glancing up, she found Monroe, arms full of bandages shuffling awkwardly. Taking the supplies from the girl, she sent her off to help the others with only a few words before returning to the task at hand.

The mermaid was laying on her side, giving Clarke a clear view of the harpoon head sticking gruesomely through her shoulder, dark black ichor coating its whole surface. Swallowing down bile, she looked to her patient. The girl's eyes were hazy from blood loss, but still focused on the doctor with an unnerving intensity. Taking a deep breath, she stilled her shaky hands, suddenly aware of her nerves.

"I'm going to remove the head now. It's going to hurt… a lot."

She finished lamely, flushing as the mermaid raised an eyebrow at her. Berating herself silently for her awkwardness, she situated herself to remove the harpoons head. Preparing the bandages in one hand, she took a shaky breath in an attempt to relax herself for what she was about to do. In all honesty, she was out of her depth. She had no idea if mermaid anatomy was in any way similar to human anatomy. What if there was a major artery in a place that humans didn't? What if the mermaid needed a blood transfusion? Was human blood compatible with theirs? Were there certain procedures to avoid things like shock and infection? She didn't know and it made her anxious. Swallowing, she gripped the head firmly, avoiding the sharp blades that glinted cruelly.

"Okay, ready?"

At the hesitant nod of the mermaid, she started to pull, wincing at the sound of metal squelching through flesh. The mermaid groaned lowly, pressing her face into the deck boards as she attempted to remain still. Her tail twitched spastically, brown scales rattling together to create a rustling sound similar to when wind rushed through trees. The surprisingly dry sound made her worry. Was the mermaid drying out? Would that harm her further? Refocusing on her task, she knew she had to hurry if she wanted to move her patient to the basin of water that was undoubtedly in the infirmary by now. She breathed a deep sigh when the last of the harpoon was free from the mermaid's shoulder, and tossed the metal menace aside. The doctor pressed wads of bandages to the wound, trying to stop the renewed stream of blood. Packing on bandages swiftly, she wrapped more lengths of cloth around the blackening fabric, holding them in place.

Glancing down at the mermaid, the blonde was glad to see that she hadn't passed out from the pain. The injured girl was breathing heavily, clenching her eyes shut as she fought through her agony. Wiping her blood slicked hands on her breaches, she re-positioned her jacket around the mermaid's form, covering her to the best of her abilities. Lightly gripping the mermaids uninjured shoulder, she tried to get her patient's attention through the haze of pain.

"I'm going to move you to our infirmary, alright?"

A jerky nod was the only response she received, but it was enough. Sliding her arms under the mermaid's shoulders, mindful of the wound, and under a section of her tail that the blonde could only describe as the girl's knees, she lifted her up, nostrils flaring as the smell of blood and salt rushed to meet her nose. She was surprised at how light the mermaid was, considering that her tail must be made of pure muscle if she could swim through ocean currents. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, she moved quickly, eating up the distance to the stairs in as wide a steps as she dared.

The trip down the short set of stairs into the depths of the ship was filled with mumbled "Sorrys" and groans of pain, as each step caused the mermaid to jolt in her arms. The brunette buried her face into Clarke's neck. Pressing her temple into the blonde's shoulder, the mermaid tried to find any sensation that might distract her from the pain that radiated through her body, and lowly whimpered when it had no effect.

Clarke sighed in relief as she shouldered open the infirmary door, and let herself relax ever so slightly as she lowered the mermaid into the waiting basin of water. The initially clear water became murky almost immediately as the brunette sank into it with a relieved sigh, blood washing away to create dark clouds until the liquid was a pale inky grey.

While the basin was large, it still didn't allow the mermaid to be covered in water completely, thus, Clarke rolled up her sleeves, grabbed a few of the cloth's piled next to the basin and dipped them in water before bringing the soaking material to cover the brunettes still dry shoulders. Glancing at her now thoroughly ruined jacket floating atop the water, she considered taking it in an attempt to save the doomed garment, but discarded the idea as it was still acting as a cover for the mermaid's modesty.

Looking at her patient, she watched as the other girl's eyes drooped, obviously exhausted. Grabbing an unused cloth, she dipped it in the water, and slowly brought it to the brunette's face. The mermaid startled slightly as the damp fabric touched her skin, but settled once again with a breathy hum as Clarke began gently wiping away the blood from her face. Tired emerald eyes examined the doctor from within a slack face. The mermaid having no more strength left to do anything else.

"Rest now. I won't let anyone hurt you."

At those words, the brunette's eyes closed and the last of the tension eased from her body, making Clarke smile sadly. She still couldn't understand what had possessed Bellamy to shoot such a wondrous creature. Tossing the now soiled cloth away, she examined the mermaids features more closely.

Her, now clean, face was youthful, appearing to be the same age or maybe slightly older than Clarke's own twenty years. Her hair, was pulled back into a series of complicated braids, bits of twine and small shells woven throughout, creating a small mosaic within the fine strands. Through the murky water, Clarke, upon closer inspection, could see that the scales adorning the other girls tail weren't brown, but in fact an extremely deep crimson.

Breathing a deep sigh, Clarke leaned her elbows on the edge of the tub and rested her chin on one hand while scrubbing her face with the other. Now that she had time to think, she wondered if this mermaid would be missed. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she grabbed a few other cloths, replacing the ones draped over the mermaid's shoulders with freshly soaked ones. Continuing the cycle, she let her thoughts continue to wander. Were there even other mermaids to be missed by? Was there a merperson society they were completely unaware of? If there was one, then her crew had made the worst first impression ever, and she really didn't want to know the consequences of their actions, because if this mermaid was important in some way, then they were undoubtedly screwed.

EndNotes: So what do you think? If you have any questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent and unhelpful updates on what I'm up to, follow me on my tumblr GillyTweed


	2. Chapter 2

Born Amongst a Storm Chapter 2

Pairing: Clexa

Rating: Children Shouldn't Read Alone (T)

Notes: Another chapter for all you lovelies. I didn't get slaughtered by my professor for my project not being done, so I thought I'd update. I got a rather surprisingly positive reception for this fic, (I wasn't aware that this kind of AU was of particular interest to people) but I'm glad you all like it so far. One thing I'd like to clear up though is the difference between a Captain and a Quartermaster, as there seems to be some form of confusion with that. (disclaimer: the following explanation is based on the knowledge I gained on the internet, although I'm sure everything we find on the internet is true, right?) On a pirate ship, there are two leadership positions (this being mostly seen during the golden age of Piracy spanning the mid 1600s to the mid 1700s). The Captain and the Quartermaster. The Captain is the most well known, but actually doesn't hold as much power as everyone thinks. The Captain is the leader in combat situations. They give orders and people follow them because their lives most likely depend on it. The Quartermaster is less known, but actually probably held the most power in concerns to leadership. They had the ability to veto a Captains command so long as the ship wasn't chasing a prize or in a combat situation. They were responsible for disciplining the crew, splitting up loot acquired on raids, and in general organized the day to day duties of the ship. So, yeah, I made Clarke the Quartermaster cause she essentially just does these things on her own. Might as well give her a title for it right?

Groaning, she blinked awake, eyes still heavy with sleep. Scrunching her face, she suddenly became aware of the feeling of crusted blood stiffening her clothes. A sensation she was, unfortunately, rather familiar with from her years working as a doctor. She did always make a conscious attempt to change from any blood splattered clothes before going to bed herself, but sometimes it was unavoidable when exhaustion took her. She breathed deeply, the scent of salt and iron filling her nose, making her chest balloon to capacity before letting out all the air in one great whoosh.

Sitting up, she scrubbed at her face with one hand, pausing as she spotted the black substance that was under her nails and lined the cracks of her palms. Recalling what happened that afternoon, a quick glance out the porthole and the ships gentle rocking told her that they'd stopped for the night, she scanned her surroundings.

While she couldn't remember moving to one of the infirmary beds, she wasn't overly worried considering not remembering the tail end of long nights with patients was a consistent thing, but what did worry her was the very empty tub and the very absent mermaid from said tub.

Throwing herself up, she stumbled a little, her boots having been removed, leaving her only in sock feet that slide across the smooth planks of the floor. Straightening clumsily, she skidded to the side of the basin, grabbing the edge and hunching over, she looked down at the cool murky water and the cloths that had been left hanging to dry on the edge. Had the crew come and taken the mermaid while she slept? She cursed under her breath. She'd promised to protect her and ended up falling asleep. The blonde gripped the edge of the tub until her knuckles turned white.

"If they hurt her, I will kill them."

The sound of a hum, filled with a calculating tone, had her whirling around, almost slipping on the slick floor, but catching herself on the tubs edge. On an infirmary bed, next to the one she'd slept on, sat the mermaid, or rather, a person who had been a mermaid. The girl, who only hours earlier had a very much aquatic bottom half, now had a set of very human legs. The mermaid, or was she human now, sat on the bed, legs pulled up so she could rest her chin on her knees. Her top half was clad in a white shirt that hung loosely from her slim frame (a quick glance towards the shelf where the doctor kept her clothes confirmed that the garment was indeed Clarke's) and covered everything easily.

The girl squinted at her, mouth in a thin line. Another hum escaped her, sounding almost judgmental this time. The expression and noise made it seem as though she were trying to come to a decision in concerns to the human awkwardly balancing before her, hair and clothes askew.

Not daring to move, Clarke examined her patient from afar. The shoulder of the shirt looked slightly bulky upon closer inspection, so she could assume that she hadn't removed the bandages. Which was good. She had moved to the bed under her own power, as well as possibly moved Clarke herself to the other bed. Which was… good but also not good because she could have reopened the wound, also she was a mermaid so did that mean she had a magical healing factor or something? The doctor's thoughts traveled a mile a minute. She honestly didn't know how to react to this situation now that the danger had passed.

There was a mermaid…. A really, _really_ attractive mermaid… Who could turn her fish half human… Sitting in her infirmary… Acting as though she hadn't been shot only hours prior…

As she tried to control her breathing, she idly wondered if Monty had possibly spiked the moonshine with something a little extra. Something that may give her really weird and really vivid dreams, or possibly hallucinations. She swallowed thickly. The mermaid continued to examine her with a critical eye. The way the girl's gaze seemed to scan her form made Clarke shift uncomfortably.

"You are oddly kind for a pirate."

Clarke jerked, almost falling again, as the mermaid spoke. Her voice was soft, but held an inner strength that made the blonde want to hear more. Finally finding her balance, she blinked at the brunette, unsure of how to respond. Luckily, she continued.

"Most people would rejoice at catching a mermaid, however you chastise your people and punish them for hurting another, yet that is how you make your living. Why?"

The slim girl gestures to the bag of loot hanging from the pole holding up her hammock, tilting her head in curiosity. While she wasn't exactly wrong; she and her crew did indeed hurt people and steal their stuff, but they always chose targets that were guilty of some crime or another. For example, their last target was the estate of a less than legitimate business man whose crimes included fraud, extortion, and in all just being a dick to the help. The mermaid awaited her response, so she decided to tell the truth.

"I loath hurting innocents."

She crossed her arms across her chest and looked down at her feet, suddenly very interested in the hole that had appeared in her right sock. For reasons she couldn't explain, she didn't want the brunette to think badly of her. While she was indeed a pirate, and generally that planted a person firmly onto the "bad" side of the moral scale, she wanted to make clear that she didn't enjoy harming others. She was a doctor after all.

Lifting her gaze, she hesitantly looked at the brunette, trying to gauge her reaction. If anything the other girl looked thoughtful. As though coming to a decision, the mermaid nodded and climbed off the bed to come stand near the blonde. Now, only feet away from each other, Clarke could see that she was about the same height as her if only slightly taller, but that didn't stop the shirt she had borrowed from practically being a dress on her. Clarke wasn't exactly a large person, but the factors of having a fair bit of muscle and naturally broader shoulders made her shirt look as though it would swallow the slender girl whole and drown her in fabric. The sight made Clarke narrow her eyes in worry. Was this naturally the body type of a mermaid, or was this girl practically starving? Pushing those thoughts aside, she asked the more pressing question.

"How's your shoulder?"

Her tone was filled with concern, but the other girl shrugged, wincing only slightly.

"It hurts."

It wasn't exactly the response she was looking for, but it was something.

"Do you mind if I take a look?"

She asked, tilting her head towards one of the beds. While it did appear as though the brunette was miraculously healed, the young doctor still had reservations. The mermaid smirked, chin tilting slightly upward as she walked towards the bed, unbuttoning the shirt as she went.

"I don't even know your name, and yet here I am already taking my clothes off."

Clarkes face flushed instantly, heat racing across her skin, staining it a light pink. She sputtered helplessly in response, caught completely by surprise. The mermaid turned, looking guiltily at the flustered doctor.

"Sorry, that was a bit forward. My name is Lexa by the way."

Clarke swallowed, trying desperately to recover some form of composure. She really wasn't used to flirting; what with essentially living with only her family out in the middle of the ocean. Finding prospective partners was essentially doomed to failure, so she had given up on the endeavor entirely after the first few failed attempts at the beginning of her pirating career a couple years back.

"Clarke…"

She croaked in response, turning away as Lexa let the shirt slide from her shoulders. While she was no stranger to anatomy, being both a doctor and having had several one night stands with men and women alike throughout her life, she couldn't help but feel thrown at the prospect of seeing the other girl naked.

"Honestly, pull yourself together."

She muttered to herself quietly as she rubbed her temples. Technically, Clarke had already seen the other girl naked; the only difference being the fish tail. Somehow that didn't comfort the blonde in the least. Heaving a huge sigh, she steeled herself. She had a job to do as a doctor, and no amount of flirting should get in the way of it. With a new sense of determination, she spun around on her heel to face her patient.

And her heart promptly stopped.

Lexa had discarded the shirt, laying it beside her, and reclined back on her hands with her legs crossed one over the other, looking completely and utterly relaxed in her state of undress. The brunette was looking at her expectantly while raising a delicate eyebrow. The blonde's mind came to a screeching halt, the only thought going through her mind being a very long, and very loud, internal scream. Slamming a hand over her eyes, she silently berated herself.

'You are a god damned doctor! Be professional you idiot. She is just another patient. A very attractive patient, but that should have no effect on how you do your job!'

Her silent pep talk was really not working as she felt her skin flush once again. She sighed at herself. She couldn't deny that Lexa was attractive, and it was honestly short circuiting her brain. Peeking through her fingers, she looked at the reclining brunette.

"Um, could you… possibly… cover up with the shirt… while I do the examination?"

Her request was met with another raised eyebrow, but no protest as Lexa grabbed the shirt and draped it over herself once again. Taking a deep breath as her hand dropped from her face, she padded over to stand in front of the other girl.

"Do you not find my form pleasing, Clarke?"

A smirk danced on Lexa's lips and a playful glint was in her eye. Clarke sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"The problem is the exact opposite, actually."

Clarke muttered under her breath as she rubbed her eyes harshly, almost as though she were trying to blind herself so she wouldn't have her current problem. Returning her focus to the task at hand, she missed the humoured smile that had taken residence on Lexa's face.

With gentle hands, she unwrapped the bandages from around the wound, wincing slightly when she peeled away the layers that had glued themselves to the injured flesh. Lexa, to her credit, only stiffened slightly, clenching her jaw against the pain. Clarke murmured a low "sorry" as she removed the last of the bandages. Discarding the soiled dressings onto a side table, she quickly stood, grabbing a bowl of clean water and a cloth, and then returned to her patient's side.

The wound had not begun to bleed again when she had removed the wades of fabric, which made her wonder. Had the wound sealed itself already? From what she knew about the human body, which was a lot, the wound would never have healed enough to do so.

Leaning over, she gently dabbed at the blood that covered the injury with the cloth, slowly clearing away the old blood to reveal an angry, and tender looking, knot of scar tissue. Clarke furrowed her brow. Instead of a few hours, the wound looked to be a couple weeks old, having been sealed and developed scar tissue within the wound site. At this rate, the scarring would pale and smoothed out in only a matter of days, maybe hours, instead of the years that it would normally take. The blonde looked up at her patient questioningly.

"Can you move your arm?"

There had to be some form of drawback to this fast of healing, right? With how quick it was healing, the shoulder joint must be stiff, or limited in movement in some way. The blonde blinked in surprise when Lexa demonstrated an almost full range of movement, only wincing when the scarring was tugged a bit to harshly. Straightening from her bent position, the doctor stared at the mermaid in wonder.

"I assume this rate of healing is from being a mermaid, right?"

Lexa nodded, a smug smile quirking her lips. The brunette reclined again, letting the shirt rest against her front without the support of her hands. She exuded an aura of pure cockiness, obviously confident in not only her attractiveness but her body's abilities as well. Feeling another blush creeping up her neck, Clarke turned away, eyes screwed tight. She refused to let Lexa get to her.

Opening her eyes, she slide in sock feet across the floor to her clothing hooks, snatching a pair of pants and a belt from their places. Returning to the bed, looking anywhere but at the beautiful brunette, she held out the clothes.

"Here, put these on, then we'll head to the mess to get you some food. You must be starving."

Had she been paying a bit more attention, the blonde would have noticed her patient pause and frown as she took the clothing. A few moments later and the brunette was dressed. While the shirt and pants were obviously too big, the belt having been pulled to the smallest loop, they would do for the time being. After donning her boots, she headed towards the door, expecting the mermaid to follow.

"Are you not going to change as well? You are still covered in blood."

Hand on the doors knob, the doctor looked down at herself, having almost forgotten the black stains that covered most of her clothes. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh, I'll be fine. I don't have anymore clean clothes, so once we eat I'll go steal from Bellamy or something."

At his name, Lexa tilted her head questioningly.

"The Captain? The man who shot me?"

Clarke shuffled awkwardly, a look of guilt taking over her face.

"Yeah, that's him. I'm sorry about him shooting you. Really."

Lexa's face seemed unreadable as she closed the distance between them, movements graceful.

"Is he your lover?"

The question seemed out of nowhere, but the intensity of the mermaid's expression demanded a serious answer.

"Bellamy? No, he's my best friend and part of my family. I don't think I could ever think of him that way."

Clarke answered, laughing nervously, extremely aware of the other girl's proximity. Sure, she and Bellamy had grown up together, as she had with all of the crew, but to her knowledge, neither of them had ever had romantic feelings for the other. It was the same with the rest of the crew. She was close with all of them due to circumstances but she'd never really had romantic feelings for any of them. Lexa responded to her awkwardness with a calm, almost satisfied nod, then stepped back, allowing the door to fully open.

The hall was quiet, dimly lit by small candles interspersed along the walls, held in place by iron holders. All the crew were in bed or on watch on the upper decks. Clarke led the way to the mess hall, stepping quietly as she passed the cracked open door to the crew's quarters. Peeking inside as they crept past the door, the blonde smiled fondly. Hammocks of all sizes hung haphazardly from the ceiling and support posts, some swaying slightly from restless sleepers, while others remained still. Snores of varying volumes drifted from the room, along with a few mumbled words said in sleep. The sight was endearing, and it made the blonde's chest tingle with warmth as she closed the door. Glancing over at Lexa, she watched as the brunette's eyes narrowed at the door thoughtfully.

"They won't wake up for a while, if that's what you're worried about."

She spoke quietly, beckoning with her hand to move down the hall to another doorway. The brunette followed automatically, still lost in thought. Entering the mess hall, Clarke wove between the benches and tables to the back archway leading to the kitchen. The doctor smiled when she saw that the pots and pans had been untouched, meaning that her friends had listened to her instructions of only cold rations.

"Do mermaids eat anything special, like… I don't know, raw fish?"

She tapped her boot on the floor as she looked over her shoulder at the mermaid. Lexa had moved to sit on one of the counters, swinging her feet idly in the air.

"No, we eat cooked food just like everyone else. Make whatever you want."

The brunette chuckled, leaning back on her hands. Nodding to herself, Clarke got to work. Grabbing two squares of hardtack, one she shoved into her own mouth, while the other she began grinding down in a mortar and pestle. Once the tack had been ground into a fine flour, she turned to the different dried meats hanging from the rafters. Making a decision, she sliced off a decent slab, placing it in a metal pan. Grabbing a pot, she placed water on to boil over the wood stove. As the water heated, she gathered several herbs and spices from the pantry, along with a mug of ale.

"Here, for while you wait."

She handed the ale to the observing mermaid, frowning as she raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

The brunette took the ale and sipped lightly, chuckling.

"I've been on a few ships, and I've never seen someone actually cook, only eating dried rations. What are you doing?"

Clarke smirked at the question, pride swelling in her chest.

"Well, normal ships don't have a trained doctor or mechanic."

Turning back to her cooking, she started to explain.

"We dry things just like everyone else. It lets us store things for a long time, but we figured out how to rehydrate them as well. Like with hard tack, it's just really compressed flour and water, and once it's been in storage for a while it's essentially just compressed flour after it loses its water content, so if we grind it up, it lets us make fresher bread."

She motioned to the small bowl of flour. Next she grabbed the now boiling water.

"Dried meat can be rehydrated if you add boiling water at a one to one ratio, which lets us have meat that isn't glorified leather."

Carefully, she poured the water over the meat, making sure every inch was covered. Letting the meat sit, she moves over to the flour, adding water to it as well. Once finished, she placed the pot back on the fire to keep it warm. Turning back to Lexa, she was glad to see an impressed look on her face.

"So, you're a mechanic as well? You have many talents."

At that, Clarke laughed as she grabbed another square of hardtack to nibble on.

"Oh, no, I'm the doctor and quartermaster, the mechanic-"

"Hey, Clarke said no hot meals!"

A harsh voice whisper yelled as hobbled footsteps shuffled through the mess hall. Clarke noted how Lexa stiffened, looking ready to spring up at a moment's notice.

"Ah, speak of the devil. Raven, the meal isn't for me."

The brunette mechanic hobbled in, leaning on a metal cane as she looked almost surprised at the sight of the doctor. Knowing who it was, the crippled brunette looked much less hostile than her tone had initially suggested.

"Oh Clarke, I thought you'd be in the infirmary. If it's not for you, then who's it for?"

The blonde quirked an eyebrow and pointed at the mermaid perched on the counter conveniently placed just out of the mechanic's view. Lexa looked apprehensive but hoped off her seat, watching impassively as the mechanic's jaw dropped. Raven's gaze scanned the mermaid up and down, trying to comprehend the appearance of the, now human, merperson.

"Well…"

She croaked.

"I guess we do kinda owe you dinner after shooting you and all…."

Lexa lips quirked at the brunettes shocked expression. The mechanic leaned on her cane, the wheels of her brain visibly turning as she tried to process what was in front of her.

"Weren't you a fish before?"

The question was blurted out suddenly, making Clarke stiffen. Would Lexa take that as an insult? Was there a certain etiquette that humans should follow when it came to mermaids? A new sound made her pause. It was a beautiful sound that made her crave more. After a moment, she realized that the sound was Lexa laughing. The mermaid had started out chuckling until it had escalated into full on laughter. Throwing her head back, she held her stomach. To the blonde, it was one of the most beautiful sights she'd ever seen. Raven shifted awkwardly, looking pleadingly at Clarke for help, unsure of how to handle the situation. After a moment, Lexa finally starts to calm down.

"Yes, yes I was."

Lexa wiped away tears of laughter breathlessly. She gasped in more air before continuing.

"Mermaids have the ability to change our tail into human legs at will. It allows us the ability to blend in and move on land without trouble."

Raven nodded in understanding, eyes narrowed in thought as she scanned Lexa's form. She seemed to be over her initial shock and had moved into her natural state of curiosity. The mermaid had relaxed somewhat since the mechanic's initial appearance, making Clarke wonder why she was so on edge. She seemed perfectly relaxed in the infirmary, but had been tense since leaving it.

The blonde turned back to cooking, washing her hands, and taking the bread dough and rolling it out, but keeping an eye on Lexa and Raven as they talked quietly. She heard little snippets of conversation, mostly Lexa asking about the ship's improvements, how they managed to keep a stove safely on a wooden ship and such. Questions that Raven answered with enthusiasm. Clarke continued to work, but couldn't help the frown that settled on her face as she watched the two.

She tried to focus on cooking, seasoning the meat, placing the pan of bread dough in the oven, but she couldn't help but sneak glances at the two other girls, feeling her throat close as they gradually inched closer together on the counter. Breathing a quiet sigh, she readied a plate, adding a few cut up raw vegetables, then placing the steaming bread and meat on top when it was ready. Grabbing a knife and fork, she strode purposefully over to the two, holding the plate between their bodies in a small attempt to keep them apart.

"Here, foods ready."

She smiled as normally as she could, but felt the strain in the expression. She didn't entirely understand why she felt the need to move them apart, but she also knew she'd feel better if they weren't so close. Lexa took the plate and cutlery with a raised eyebrow but didn't question her actions. Slipping off the counter, the mermaid left the kitchen to sit at one of the tables in the dining hall. Clarke watched as she went, feeling a tightness in her chest ease. An exaggerated hum brought her attention to Raven. The mechanics eyes sparkled with mischief and a knowing smile was spread across her face.

"I gotcha, Griffin. You've laid your claim. I'll be sure to let everyone know."

Clarke looked at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Reyes?"

Raven's eyes widened slightly, her smile almost turning maniac. The blonde furrowed her brow in worry. With that expression she knew this wouldn't end well. The mechanic just shook her head at her expression, smiling slyly. The crippled girl hopped off the counter, steadying herself expertly with her cane.

"Nothing, nothing. Everything's fine. You go sit with fish legs over there. I'm heading to bed."

With that, she hobbled away, an almost disturbing spring in her awkward gait. Shaking her head, she turned back to the mess she'd made while cooking. Throwing the pans into the wash basin, she silently promised to come back and clean them at a more decent hour. After wiping her hands on a towel, she went and joined Lexa at one of the tables, sitting across from the hungry brunette.

The mermaid was devouring the food with alarming speed, yet somehow made her actions still seem graceful. Clarke watched with slight amusement and a mild bit of worry as the meat, bread and vegetables disappeared one by one. She couldn't deny that the mermaid was underweight anymore by a significant margin. Her ribs were easily discernible when she had done her examination, and she had been weirdly light when the doctor had carried her to the infirmary. Something had happened to Lexa that had put her in that position and Clarke wanted to know what. She waited until the brunette had slowed to only picking at the last of what was on her plate before asking.

"Lexa, why did we find you out in the middle of the ocean?"

While it wasn't what she truly wanted to ask, it was a question that would hopefully lead to what she wanted to know. Her voice had been soft when she asked the question, but Lexa stilled all the same. The blonde waited, remaining completely still as the mermaid contemplated her question. A moment later, cutlery was carefully placed on the dish, and Lexa's hands folded under her chin. Her emerald gaze pierced Clarke, as though she were trying to see the blonde's intentions. Clarke remained still, keeping eye contact with the other girl. It seemed she'd touched on a sensitive topic.

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

She tries to keep her voice even and soft, hoping to enforce that she meant it. She had no desire to make the other girl feel pressured or the need to flee. Lexa continued to watch her, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. The blonde could tell she was apprehensive, warring within herself about what she should do. All Clarke wanted was to help. She felt a pull in her chest, wanting, no demanding, that she help the fragile creature before her. She couldn't explain why the urge was so strong, only that she needed to do as it said.

A particularly loud creak of the ship's support struts distracted her, and suddenly the urge was gone. Well, not gone, faded. She still wanted to help, but it seemed less like a need, more like a desire. Furrowing her brow in confusion, she watched as the mermaid seemed to curl into herself, pulling her legs up to her chest as she balanced on the seat.

"Do you really want to help me?"

Clarke frowned in confusion. She hadn't offered to help had she? No, she was certain she hadn't. Treading carefully, she responded.

"Well, I want to know what's wrong, then if I can, yes I would like to help you."

At her response, Lexa seemed almost surprised, eyes widening slightly. Biting her lip, the brunette sighed and moved to stand.

"Let's go back to the Infirmary. This place is too… open. There are too many places to hide and over hear."

Clarke nodded her agreement. If Lexa wanted to keep things quiet, then it was her choice. Grabbing the empty plate and cutlery, she dumped them with the rest of the dirty dishes, then led the brunette out into the corridor. Just as they pass the hall leading to the Infirmary, she pauses. Looking down at herself, she grimaced at the black blood crunching within the fibers of her clothes. Turning to the waiting mermaid, she pointed to another door.

"Uh, one sec, lemme grab new clothes."

Lexa nodded but as the blonde turned, she saw the other girl make a face. She couldn't exactly describe the expression but if she had to guess it would be a mixture of displeasure, disappointment and distress.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she opens Bellamy's door quietly. The older boy snored softly, swaying in his hammock, face covered by his arm. Tip toeing quietly across the room, she quickly grabs a new pair of pants and a shirt, sniffing them quickly to ensure they were at least semi clean. Satisfied with her haul, she turns back to the door, freezing when she sees Lexa standing over Bellamy.

The mermaids face is stony, and her eyes hard. Clarke swallows thickly. Maybe it wasn't the best idea showing Lexa the room of the person who shot her, especially while he was sleeping and oblivious to the world. Walking quietly, hoping to keep Bellamy unaware, she comes to stand at the brunette's elbow.

"Lexa… please."

Her words are quiet but pleading. She hoped that the other girl would listen. Lexa stands stiffly for a several moments, fists clenched and eyes glinting eerily. Cautiously, Clarke places a light hand on the brunette's shoulder, and breathes a sigh of relief when the muscles under her palm relax ever so slightly. The doctor gently leads the mermaid from the room, closing the door tightly behind them, then down to the Infirmary.

She closes the door, leaning against the solid wood with a sigh, closing her eyes as she did so. Lexa looks at her without a word, going to sit on one of the beds. Taking a deep shaky breath, she pushed off the wood, avoiding eye contact with the mermaid watching her like a hawk.

Laying the new clothes over her hammock, she starts changing without a word, stripping off her soiled clothing quickly. She knows her doublet couldn't be saved, the dark blue fabric stained so much that it almost looked black, but her shirt and pants might be salvageable if she scrubs them hard enough. Tossing the stained fabric into a cleaning basket, she dons Bellamy's shirt and pants, foregoing wearing her boots and socks.

Now decently clothed, she turns back to the rooms other occupant, unsurprised that she hadn't moved. Lexa's face looks impassive, but her body doesn't hold the confidence that it once did. Instead, she sits hunched over, feet firmly planted on the floor, elbows on her knees for support. Her eyes still track Clarke ceaselessly, but they don't hold the hard hostility that they did in Bellamy's room. Walking over to a bed, she sits across from the mermaid and waits. Before long, she speaks.

"So, you want to know what happened to me…."

Clarke swallows and nods. The tension in the room was palpable, making it feel like there was an electric current running through the air. The young doctor knew this conversation would be serious, but she didn't think it would make both of them so agitated. Lexa breaths in a sigh, eyes looking almost sad despite the blankness of her face.

"The first thing you need to know is that normally my people avoid humans adamantly. It's for our safety, because should humans learn of us, we would be hunted. The myths about us and our power are greatly exaggerated, although not entirely untrue, but that makes us prime targets for poaching should the general populace learn of us."

Clarke nodded slowly, understanding so far. The tales she'd heard of mermaids remained mostly consistent. Stories of beautiful people with fins for legs and the power to enchant even the strongest willed sailor. They ventured out in the dead of night, searching for ships with lazy or tired look outs, aiming to drag the vessel and its crew into the depths of the ocean. They ate the flesh of unfaithful sailors or criminals, and drowned the rest, bringing storms in their wake through their enchantments. To Clarke, they were always a myth representing the wrath of nature. She had never had a reason to believe otherwise, until now that is, but she could see why Lexa and her people would be worried. If they were discovered, they wouldn't stand a chance against the naivety of humans and their weapons. They would be slaughtered. Feeling a shiver go up her spin, she motioned for Lexa to continue.

"While only a few have discovered our existence, there is a group of humans that have hunted us for decades. We call them the Maunon, or the Mountain Men, after the symbol of a mountain they wear proudly and fly on their banners. They capture my people and drain them dry, using their bodies and energy for their sick and twisted magiks."

Lexa shudders slightly, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. Clarke fiddles with the fabric of her shirt, forcing herself to resist the urge to go over and comfort the other girl. While the doctor didn't necessarily believe in magic, as she firmly believed in science, she couldn't rule out the possibility now that mermaids had been proven real.

"I don't know how long I was swimming, days, maybe weeks, but before you found me, my village was attacked by the Maunon. We live on an island that has yet to be charted by humans, or at least we thought it had been uncharted. They attacked in the middle of the night, raiding homes and murdering our warriors."

Lexa clenched her jaw, muscles jumping in anger. Her face was the picture of anger, but tears welled in her eyes, making Clarke's heart jump into her throat.

"I was sent to warn another of our settlements led by my sister, Anya, but it seems I was too weak to swim deep enough not to be seen. That is how your Bellamy saw me."

Clarke nodded her understanding. Lexa had been running for days, trying to get to her sister to warn her, but they'd not only gotten in her way, they'd hurt her and were most likely taking her in the entirely wrong direction. Guilt bloomed in the doctor's chest. They needed to fix this.

"Where is your sister located? After we stop at a port to restock, we can take you."

The mermaid remained silent for a moment, face blank. The doctor tried to look earnest, hoping the other girl understood her desire. Another feeling seemed to creep over the blonde, intense, similar to the one she'd felt in the mess hall.

"I want you to tell me the truth."

Clarke felt herself nodding to the brunette's words, compelled by the soft voice.

"Why do you want to help me?"

She felt her thoughts fogging, but words were still tumbling from her mouth. Pressure seemed to weigh down on her mind, making focusing almost impossible.

"I feel guilty. My crew harmed you, a beautiful creature, and what the Maunon are doing is not right. The least we can do to help is ensure you get to your sister safely."

A small, almost shy looking, smile crept onto the brunettes face. The pressure slowly lifted and the blonde shook her head slightly to rid herself of the fog. Rubbing her temples, she looks at Lexa with suspicion.

"Are you the one doing that?"

Mermaid myths included descriptions of their abilities, such as compulsion or mind control, and seeing as some of the myths seemed to be true, it wouldn't be outlandish to think they had such an ability. The young doctor didn't want to believe that someone she had helped would try to control her, so Clarke couldn't suppress the small stab of hurt she felt as the brunette looked away guiltily.

"I needed to know that your intentions were good. I didn't want to doubt you but I can't risk more of my people."

The blonde nodded in understanding, but the feeling of hurt only lessened slightly. She could understand the necessity but the feeling of betrayal was harshly present. Lexa needed to keep her people safe, and she'd only just met Clarke so caution was the best course of action. Working her jaw, the doctor stood slowly, muscles stiff with emotion as she began to clean up the infirmary. The mermaid watched her with sad eyes, but said nothing, unwilling to apologize for something she saw as necessary.

"Why don't you get some sleep."

It wasn't a suggestion. Clarke continued to putter around, negative feelings evident in her motions. Lexa sighed, but didn't respond. The blonde didn't turn as the sounds of rustling sheets sounded behind her. She didn't turn around until her job was done and the silence had stretched on for well over an hour.

Lexa had seemed to have obeyed without question, huddled under the blankets of the infirmary bed, eyes closed and breathing even. Emotions she couldn't name swirled in Clarke stomach. They grew stronger as she stepped to the bedside. Clarke paused for a moment, taking in the sight of Lexa's smooth and relaxed face. Sighing, she pulled up the blankets around the girl's shoulders, tucking them snuggly around her sides, before padding over to her own hammock.

Laying down, swaying slightly with the gentle rocking of the ship, she heaved another sigh. In less than twenty-four hours, her life had grown several times more complicated. She'd discovered mermaids were real. Nursed a mermaid, a very attractive mermaid, back to health. She'd been compelled by the powers of said mermaid, powers which she was clueless of the extent of, and had also offered to help her without the consent or opinion of her crew. Groaning, she threw an arm over her eyes. Slumping further into her hammock, she decided she'd deal with all these problems later. She needed sleep.

Endnotes: So what do you think? If you have any questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent and unhelpful updates on what I'm up to, follow me on my tumblr GillyTweed


	3. Chapter 3

Another chapter! It's been a bit but life has decided to shoot me in the face so I'm happy I could get this out at all. Friendly reminder, I have my ask box open on Tumbr and I am accepting prompts so if you want me to write a thing submit your idea!

Edit: so the first posting of this fucked up. It should be fixed now

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Chapter 3

A light tickling woke her. A gentle brush on her face. The first few times, she swiped it away sleepily, only to grumble as it would quickly return. Huffing an irritated breath, she opened her eyes, blinking in confusion as her vision was filled with the sight of canvas. Reaching up, she plucked the cloth off her face, looking at the offending object with bewilderment. It was one of the cloths she'd had brought to the infirmary when she had been tending to Lexa. Flipping it over, she furrowed her brow at the short lines of flowing script written on the cloth. Squinting, eyes still bleary with sleep, she read the message.

 _Went to explore. Won't kill anyone. Promise._

 _Lexa_

She dropped her hands, feeling as though she were in a daze, before vaulting off her hammock in a panic. Even if Lexa promised not to kill anyone that definitely didn't bring much comfort. The mermaid could hurt one of the crew, or worse be hurt by one of the crew. Scrabbling for her boots, she tugged them on forcefully, cursing as one of the straps snapped, sending a buckle skittering across the floor. Ignoring the inconvenience, she stumbled out of her cabin.

Sprinting up the stairs that led to the main deck, she ignored the perplexed looks of the pirates she passed. Under normal circumstances, they would never see her in anything but full attire, so the sight of their doctor and quartermaster in a pair of simple breeches, a shirt and ill-fitting boots was odd indeed. Stumbling onto the main deck, she whirled around, searching for her charge. Her blonde locks whipped violently into her face as a harsh breeze swept across the deck. Brushing the strands away, she scanned the deck, searching for any sign of Lexa.

The young doctor let out an aggravated sigh as she spotted the very obvious clearing that the crew were avoiding as though it were diseased. She made her way over slowly, giving her heart time to calm from its erratic state. The mermaid was sitting calmly on one of the many crates of supplies that littered the deck, legs crossed and chin supported by a hand. She watched the crew go about their business with half lidded eyes, as though she was moments from curling up to sleep in the sun. The brunette paid her no mind as Clarke sat on the crate beside her, continuing to watch the natural hustle and bustle of the ship.

"Is this what it's always like on a pirate ship?"

The question was quiet, said so softly that it was almost taken away by the wind. Clarke nodded as she mirrored the mermaids position, crossing her own legs and leaning her elbows on her knees.

"Most of the time. It's generally quieter before and after a raid, but other than that this is pretty much the norm."

Lexa hummed in response, a wistful look coming over her features. The blonde rested her temple on her palm, eyes wandering over the brunettes profile lazily. The mermaid really was one of the most beautiful creatures she'd ever seen. Her skin was smooth, tanned ever so slightly by the sun. Her cheekbones were high, gently arching then coming down into the sharp line of her jaw. A small pink tongue poked out to wet chapped lips before white teeth bit the bottom one, worrying the flesh gently in thought. Clarke's gaze wandered up, taking in the thin curve of her brow before settling on the brunettes eyes. The green of her iris was pale, yet seemed more vibrant than any other green that Clarke had the pleasure of witnessing. The orbs carried a spark of life that couldn't be replicated by nature.

She continued her observations until the loud calling of her name forced her to turn away. The sight of Bellamy had her sighing in exasperation. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her friend, it was just most likely a better idea to keep him away from Lexa, seeing as he was the one who shot her.

"Griffin! ETA in about an hour, okay?"

Glancing quickly at Lexa, who watched the older boy with sharp eyes, the blonde hopped off her perch, striding over to the Captain, pulling him by his arm to the opposite side of the ship. He followed with little protest although with an expression of confusion on his face.

"What's up, Griffin?"

Crossing her arms, she tried her best not to glance back at the mermaid across the deck. Instead she looked up at her friend, mouth a determined line.

"We need to talk about moving up our next excursion."

The Captain blinked in confusion, but nodded.

"Essentially, we not only injured a mermaid, we also kidnapped her as she was trying to warn another group of her people. We need to fix it."

Bellamy's brows shot into his hair, surprise overtaking his features.

"So, what? We go back and drop her where we found her? We didn't exactly mark the location down."

A noise of tired exasperation escaped her before she gave her friend a mild glare.

"No, we're going to take her to where she needs to go because she would probably die before she got there considering how injured she was, and there are people pursuing her. So, who better to protect her than pirates?"

Bellamy tilted his head in consideration before nodding.

"So, where'll we be heading? We have to stop at the port first of course, but we can leave after we restock."

Clarke shuffled awkwardly for a moment, blushing slightly as she admitted to not yet knowing the location. Bellamy smirked, raising one eyebrow.

"You agreed to help her but didn't ask for a location? Smooth , Griffin, smooth."

The older boys smirk seemed to widen.

"Reyes told me you laid a claim on the mergirl already. Seems like offering to help is your way of flirting. Remember Niylah?"

The blonde could feel heat rushing to her face, making it burn a bright red.

"That was one time! She just needed help moving crates and we had the manpower!"

Bellamy, fully aware that he'd managed to get under her skin, continued.

"You offered all of the crew. We have forty people on this ship, Clarke. Honestly, a bit over kill."

The blonde, unable to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks, started to hit the other boy. Not to hurt, of course, but to hopefully silence his embarrassing recollections.

"This is not the same! We hurt her, so now we need to help!"

Bellamy laughed as her fist continued to lightly pound into his shoulders. Stepping away from the flailing blonde, he smirked as he turned on his heel.

"Get the location, and I'll get Harper charting a course for Monroe to follow. You might want to do it soon too, cause it seems like Jasper has a death wish."

Whipping around wide eyed, Clarke swallowed harshly as she caught sight of Jasper, trying to look as casual as possible, leaning against one of the taller stacked crates next to Lexa. He had a wide grin across his face as he tried to be as charming as possible. Lexa, however, seemed more annoyed than charmed, eyes half lidded with a frown settled firmly on her lips. Even without hearing the cheesy lines that the lanky boy was no doubt rattling off, Clarke could feel the irritation that flowed off the mermaid in waves. Before she could scramble across the deck to intervene, Bellamy caught her arm, a guilty look on his face.

"I am sorry for shooting her…"

He trailed off looking to the side. Straightening to face him, she gave him a pointed look, arms crossed.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to. If you're really sorry, apologize to her, and try to make amends through action, not words."

Not waiting for a response, she spun away, dodging crew members as they passed, Clarke ran across the deck, sliding to a stop next to the two. Without so much as a thought, she lunged forward, catching Lexa by the arm and dragging her up.

"Hi, Jasper! Great job entertaining our guest. I've got it from here. Okay? Thanks! Bye!"

Without waiting for a reply, the blonde trudged across the deck and down into the bowels of the ship before anyone could voice a protest. Lexa followed silently, barely resisting the doctors insistent tugs. Only when they were back in the infirmary did Clarke stop to breath. Bending down, she rested a hand on her knee, supporting herself as she panted. An amused chuckle had her looking up into the soft eyes of her mermaid companion.

Blinking, she realized that she had yet to let go of the other girl. Releasing her arm immediately, she straightened, ignoring the lingering warmth on her palm. Clenching her fist, she swallowed harshly before brushing past the other girl. Despite the hectic rush of events right after waking up, she still remembered the compulsion created by the other girl the night before. She knew they needed to talk, but now that they weren't surrounded by people, the words seemed to stick themselves to her throat, preventing any form of speech.

Without looking at Lexa, she straightened the sheets of the infirmary beds, tucking in the edges with professional precision. The mermaid said nothing, watching as the blonde avoided her gaze.

"I'm sorry, Clarke."

It seemed Lexa hadn't forgotten about the night before either.

"I promise you that I won't try to compel you again."

The blonde paused as she leaned over one of the beds. The brunette didn't pull any punches and cut right to the issue. Clarke wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Straightening back up, she slowly turned to the mermaid, face impassive. The blonde didn't entirely understand why the other girl compelling her to tell the truth hurt so much, but it happened so they had to move forward.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Lexa looked down, swallowing visibly, before meeting the doctor's gaze.

"From the myths a mermaids power seems infinite, the ability to control sailors at will, creating storms from nothing, but the truth is our abilities are limited. Anyone with a strong enough will could resist us with ease, and now you know what it feels like to be compelled. You would know and resist before I, or any other mermaid for that matter, could do anything."

The blonde narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to the taller girl. The movement had the mermaid stepping back, wide eyed.

"That doesn't answer my question. I need to be able to trust you if I'm to convince my people to help yours. I won't endanger their lives if I can avoid it right now by walking away."

She didn't mean it of course, she would help as she'd promised, but she needed to know that her family would be safe.

Lexa was now pressed back into the counter along the wall, breath heavier than it had been a moment before. She licked her lips nervously, drawing Clarke's attention to the movement, eyes flicking down briefly before returning them to stare intently at the brunette's gaze.

"I can only offer promises, Clarke. Nothing more."

The mermaid was frozen under the doctor's gaze, the edge of the wooden counter digging harshly into the small of her back. She could see the muscles working minutely within the blonde's jaw, the small trickle of sweat that descended from her temple. Clarke was angry, warring within herself. Logic fighting emotion. The sheer energy radiating off the other girl had Lexa's mind reeling.

A sudden knock on the infirmary door broke the intense stare down. The electricity that seemed to have been crackling between them died as quickly as it had grown. Clarke drew away, stepping towards the door.

"We aren't done talking about this."

Lexa nodded, relief washing over her as the distance let her thoughts clear. If she didn't know any better, she would have almost mistaken Clarke for a mermaid herself, or any other supernatural creature really. Her very presence seemed to fill the room, changing as her mood permitted. When she'd first appeared, standing above the brunettes injured form, she'd been commanding and terrifying, yet protective. Then as she'd tended to her wounds, the blonde had been caring and kind, and now she was a wall of strength. A force to be reckoned with should her family come to harm.

Swallowing dryly, the mermaid watched the blonde open the door, leaning out its frame to prevent the person knocking from entering or seeing far inside. After a moment, Clarke leaned back, her cool stare landing once again on the brunette.

"We'll be docking in a few minutes. The crew will have tonight off to enjoy themselves, then we will set sail for your people in the morning."

Lexa nodded, eyebrows pulled together ever so slightly to betray her conflicted emotions. The air seemed to lighten as the blonde grinned, teeth flashing mischievously.

"Tonight, I'm gonna show you how pirates party!"

The change in tone was surprising, but the mermaid understood that it was the doctor's attempt to show that there was no permanent harm done. Breathing out slightly in relief, she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I look forward to it."

She hadn't thought a smile could get any brighter, but it seemed the blonde could defy any expectation.

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Endnote: Want to send in a prompt, have questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent updates on my progress, come follow my tumblr GillyTweed


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Another chapter! Y'all should thank my binge watching of Yuri on Ice for this. Episode 7 got me into the mindset to write the chapter I was working on (Chapter 9) and getting it done, so you guys get this chapter. (If anyone wonders why I have such a huge gap between writing and posted chapters, it's so that if I decide to go back and rewrite, I have a rather large margin for error.) I hope you like this one cause some shit goes down and there is a LOT of plot development.

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Clarke grumbled irritably as she wrestled with her boot. It was her only pair, and now that it was down a buckle, the formerly comfortable footwear had become leather monstrosities that tripped her up at every opportunity. The separated buckle seemed to have flown off into the void, unable to be found, leaving the blonde with minimal options. Her fingers fumbled clumsily with the scraps of twine that she'd managed to scrounge from around the ship, tying the loose strap down precariously.

"That'll have to do for now."

She groused, tucking her pant leg securely around her ankle. The sun had started to set not that long ago, painting the sky in a mosaic of reds and yellows. For the last several hours, she'd been working with Lexa and Harper to chart a course to Anya's village. Apparently, it was much harder to find than just simply marking it on a map. The small island was surrounded by reefs and outcroppings of rocks that could completely wreck a ship before the crew was even aware of what had happened. The path they'd charted was twisting and long, a journey that would easily take several days.

Pushing herself off of the floor, the young doctor adjusted the cuffs of her borrowed jacket. Her old one was thoroughly destroyed, the fabric waterlogged and warped. Luckily, Octavia, Bellamy's sister, had several spare jackets that she'd taken from raided ships. 'Souvenirs' she'd called them. The fabric was a darker blue than her old jacket, but fit just as well, giving her a full range of motion that would be useful should a fight break out.

Looking to the infirmaries closed door, she couldn't help but pout. Raven had quickly commandeered their mermaid passenger after they'd finished with their charting, dragging her off through the halls of the ship, yelling that she'd be returned before their 'date.' Clarke had no way to explain how Raven had heard about Clarke taking Lexa out to show her the town or why she assumed it was a date, but of course the mechanic had ears everywhere so it was better to ignore it than wonder. Deciding that if Raven hadn't returned the brunette by the time she'd equipped her weapons, the blonde would go searching with the intent of rescuing the older girl from the eccentric mechanic.

After slipping her dagger into its sheath at her side, she strode towards the door, irritation fueling her movements. Lexa had been gone for less than an hour but just the thought of Raven being too close had her hand itching to draw her pistol. Before she could reach the door however, it opened to reveal a tired looking Lexa, but it wasn't her expression of exhaustion that gave Clarke pause. Instead it was her attire.

The mermaid had been dressed in a pair of black breeches that fit snuggly on her legs, and the shirt that she'd stolen from Clarke, but it seemed to have been tailored to fit her frame. For some inexplicable reason, pride sparked in the blonde's stomach at the sight of the taller girl still using her shirt. Over top of the shirt was one of Octavia's many jackets, deep crimson one with black accents and silver stitching along the lapels. Several leather belts wrapped around her waist, resting on her hips, holding two sheathed knives and a pistol, all undoubtedly stolen from multiple members of the crew. To finish of the ensemble, Raven seemed to have managed to find (or steal) a pair of perfectly fitting leather boots that rose up along the brunettes calf to stop just under her knee.

The young doctor swallowed thickly. She couldn't deny that Lexa was attractive, but dressed as she was, she was down right sexy and it was making the poor blonde a little hot under the collar. Realizing she was staring, she coughed lightly into her fist, averting her eyes to the side. However, it didn't help much when the brunette stumbled tiredly into her, using the shorter girl as support, pressing her body close.

"Your friends are evil."

Lexa breathed into her ear, the sound of her rasping voice sending a shiver down the blonde's spine. Clarke could feel her eyes widen as the mermaid slumped against her. The brunette was obviously tired, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go out.

"Do you still want to go out?"

At this point, Clarke couldn't care less if they went out, so long as Lexa remained close. The taller girl chuckled, shaking her head into her shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. Raven and Octavia were just extremely enthusiastic about dressing me in this."

Clarke suppressed a whine as Lexa pulled away, forcing her face to remain neutral, as the brunette gestured to her attire. The blonde couldn't help the hint of irritation she felt at the possibility that her friends had seen the mermaid naked, despite having done so already herself.

Shaking herself, she forced a grin to her face. Tonight was about getting to know Lexa and showing her another side of being a pirate. Offering her arm, she struck a pose.

"Well then, M'lady. Shall we go?"

The mermaid chuckled, threading her arm around Clarke's.

"Why yes, let's."

Clarke felt a thrill of happiness go through her. Although not understanding why Lexa's response made her so happy, she let the feeling spread. She still felt some amount of anger at the taller girl from their heated conversation earlier, but the feeling had faded, worn away by the logic of the situation. Now, it was time to go have fun.

Leading the mermaid to the upper decks, she breathed in a sigh of contentment as fresh air and the sounds of a bustling harbour filled her ears. The port of Ton DC wasn't marked on any official maps, but was a well known trading hub for the less savoury of the seas population. The monarchy that ruled the majority of the known world ignored its existence because of the fact that crime and smuggling rates had dropped in official ports since its inception. It also gave government officials a place to hire mercenaries off the record, so in general, Ton DC was the safest place a pirate could go.

Glancing at Lexa from the corner of her eye, Clarke chuckled. The mermaid looked in wonder as men and women of all ages yelled and laughed as they worked. Despite the darkening sky, the port was still busy, ships landing as quickly as they could before the tides made it dangerous. Tugging gently on the arm wrapped around her own, the blonde led the pair to the gangplank and down on to the dock. Both wobbled slightly at the sudden solidity of the ground and the lack of gentle rocking their legs had grown accustomed to, chuckling as they gripped each other for support.

Once they'd regained their balance, Clarke led on once again. They hadn't run into any of the crew yet, all most likely having scattered amongst the buildings of Ton DC the second their duties were done, but she had no desire to be seen by any of them. With how Raven had been acting, she had little doubt that the entire crew knew of her taking Lexa out, and with their past track records, such as when Raven had attempted to date Finn, or when she had flirted with Niylah, the teasing would be merciless. Even more so if they'd already consumed alcohol.

Moving quickly, the blonde guides her companion through the winding streets and twisting alleyways, only stopping when they come across their destination. The sign outside the pub is faded but the words Floukru Pub are still legible. The front is just as faded as the sign, the paint peeling and the wood showing signs of rot, but cheery light flows from its wide windows, revealing the rowdy laughing patrons as they drank their fill.

"This is the bar I regularly come to when in Ton DC. The owner helped me and the crew when we were first starting out. I'm pretty sure we would all be dead without her."

Lexa nods, a small sympathetic smile gracing her lips. Arms still linked, they entered the establishment, the blonde completely unfazed as she pulls her companion down to duck as a chair is thrown over their heads. Lexa looks at her with wide eyes as the doctor walks casually over to the bar. Flagging down a bartender, she smiled as the owner, Luna, turned to greet her.

The older woman was clad in dark breeches and a white shirt. A knife was sheathed at her side, in full view of any who might try to cause trouble in her establishment. Leaning against the bar, Clarke grinned. She hadn't seen Luna in a while and was happy to see that she looked well.

"Luna! I brought someone to meet you!"

Clarke hadn't been entirely certain how the night would go, having only planned the general location, thinking they'd have a few drinks, then winging it from there, but she truly hadn't expected the stunned look that overcame both Luna and Lexa's faces upon meeting. The two women froze, eyes wide in shock and wonder.

"Lexa?"

Luna leaned over the bar, looking the brunette up and down as though she were a ghostly apparition. The mermaid stepped slowly to the bar, mouth slightly open, lower lip trembling. Clarke wasn't sure what was happening, but it was obvious the two women meant something to each other and it made her frown. Luna wasn't one to show emotion or deep feelings, despite having been friends with the Arkadia crew for years now, so seeing her eyes wide and brimming with tears was slightly unnerving.

"Luna, maybe we should take this to a back room?"

Clarke spoke softly, eyeing the large amount of patrons milling about. Getting a shaky nod in return, Luna led the pair to the back, unlocking a door to a side room meant for private dinners. The room was dark, lit only by a small array of candles flickering in their holders on the wall. A long table, surrounded by chairs sat in the middle, and a hearth sat cold on the far wall.

Once the door was closed, the blonde watched in wonder as the two women fell into each other, embracing and sobbing quietly. She watched as they clutched at each other desperately, as though they couldn't believe the other was real.

"I thought you were dead."

Lexa sobbed into Luna's shoulder, face buried into the taller womans neck. Clarke wasn't sure how to feel as she watched Luna thread her hands into Lexa's hair, pulling her closer as a sad smile broke across her face.

"I thought so too, little Lexa. When we couldn't find you or Anya, or the rest of the crew, we thought the worst."

Pulling away, Luna cupped Lexa's cheek.

"Gods, you haven't aged a day. What happened?"

Feeling as though she were intruding on an intimate moment, Clarke quietly stepped over to the hearth and began to build a fire. Once the flames were roaring, filling the room with heat, she turned back, smiling sadly as she watched them, their sobs had quieted, leaving them in a tired embrace. Standing from her kneeling position by the fire, she padded slowly over to them, wincing slightly at the sound of her boots clacking on the floor.

"I know this is an emotional reunion and all, but… what's going on?"

She spoke softly, feeling awkward as the two separated, chuckling at her discomfort. Lexa took her arm gently and led her to a chair before sitting down herself, sighing as she sank down into the cushions.

"As you can tell, Lexa and I know each other."

Luna reconfirmed as she pulled up her own chair.

"A long time ago, we lived on a trading ship together. Lexa's father was the Captain while my mother acted as the Quartermaster."

Clarke nodded her understanding, gaze flicking between the two brunettes. She could feel a burning feeling in her stomach as she wondered at their relationship, but pushed it away as they continued.

"One night, our ship was caught in a severe storm…"

Luna swallowed, looking at Lexa as she paused.

"I thought you died. I saw you get thrown overboard when you were hit by loose rigging… How did you survive?"

At that, Lexa looked away, biting her lip as she suppressed her emotions.

"The truth is I didn't."

Clarke blinked in shock, not comprehending the answer. Lexa was here, alive, right in front of them. How could she say she died? Luna seemed to have the same question as she leaned forward, a hand going to Lexa's knee.

"But you're here. How could you have died?"

The other girl seemed to stare off into space, overcome by memories. After a moment and a light shake of her head, she swallowed before making eye contact with the blonde across from her.

"I drowned. That's the simplest way to put it. I drowned and became what I am now."

Clarke nodded in understanding. Lexa hadn't always been a mermaid. Once upon a time, she'd been as human as the other two women in the room but she'd drowned turning her into something else. Her tale was identical to the myths, if the blonde recalled correctly. When a sailor drowned at sea, they had a chance to become one with the ocean. A Mermaid. Turning to Luna, Clarke put a gentle hand on the older womans shoulder.

"Luna, Lexa isn't as you remember her. She's a mermaid."

The woman's gaze snapped over to look at the blonde, disbelief written all over her face.

"That's not possible. They're myths."

Letting out a humourless laugh, the blonde nodded.

"I thought so too, then Lexa happened. It might seem unbelievable, but it's true. She is a mermaid, but because of it, she is alive."

Sniffing back a new flow of tears, Luna turned back to Lexa.

"I don't care what you are. So long as you're alive and well, I don't care."

The young doctor couldn't help but smile as the two embraced again. She'd never seen Luna so happy before, and the sight of Lexa being so relieved and unguarded made her heart swell. Leaning back in her chair, she settled down to wait as her friends reveled in the fact that the other was indeed alive.

A loud crash and the sound of gunfire had her up in less than a second however, their small bubble of happiness destroyed. Drawing her pistol, she was next to the door before either of her companions could disentangle themselves from their renewed embrace. Finger poised to shoot, she leaned against the wall, other hand gripping the door handle. Lexa soon joined her, knife unsheathed, hovering at her shoulder. Luna drew her own knife, moving to stand opposite Clarke on the other side of the door frame.

Slowly, the blonde opened the door a crack, peering out into the hall and down into what little of the bar she could see. The initial chaos had quieted, but the pub had become deathly quiet. Finally, a man began talking, loudly and clearly with the intent to be heard by all.

"I am here looking for a girl with brown hair."

A bar patron, more drunk than the rest, responded with a leering 'Aren't we all, Mate?' In response, a gunshot rang out, sending gasps throughout the bar. Clarke could feel Lexa tense beside her as the man came into view, gun smoking and an unimpressed look adorning his face. On his jacket arm, a stitched patch with a picture of a mountain blared clearly, making the blonde swallow thickly.

"Luna, the back entrance has the same lock right?"

The bar owner nodded.

"Okay, there is a man in the bar. He has a patch with a picture of a mountain on it. Anyone with that symbol is trying to hurt Lexa, okay? If you can, try and stall them, but stay safe alright?"

The older woman nodded, gripping her knife tighter as she moved to open the door. Pausing for a moment, Luna gave Lexa one last hug, parting with a chaste kiss to her cheek.

"Come back soon, Little Lexa, and bring that sister of yours. If you survived, I'm sure she did too considering the stubborn streak your family has."

The teasing brings a small smile to the mermaids face as she nods.

"I will. Stay safe."

With that, Luna exited first, stomping out into her bar in all her protective glory. Without waiting to see what happens next, Clarke gripped Lexa's arm, dragging her out into and down the hall to the far back of the bar. Without stopping, the blonde burst through another door and shut it quickly behind them. They had a limited time before the Mountain men would find something suspicious, so they had to be long gone by the time they thought to search the back.

Scrabbling through the dim light, she grabbed the set of keys that hung from a hook by the door. While the room they occupied looked like a regular storage room, the doctor knew otherwise. She and members of her crew had escaped through this passage on more than one occasion, avoiding bounty hunters and other angry pirates alike. Ignoring Lexa's questioning look she strode over to the far wall, feeling along the wood for a loose panel. Finding it, she yanked it off to reveal a low door, a iron padlock holding it closed. Using the keys to unlock the door, she ushered the mermaid into the low tunnel it concealed, eyes darting to the door leading to the hall. It was quiet, which made her anxious, but they hadn't heard anymore gunshots, which let her believe that Luna was safe to some extent.

Once in the tunnel, she replaced the wooden panel, hiding their escape, before closing and locking the door with the padlock. Leaving the keys near the door, knowing Luna would come to retrieve them later, she gently pushed the mermaid down the dark tunnel, feeling along the wall for guidance. After a few moments, they emerged onto a side street a block over from the bar. The side street was silent a good opportunity to keep moving without detection, but when a shaky sob escaped the girl beside her, Clarke drew her into her arms, hugging her close.

"She's going to die. I just found her again and she's going to die because of me."

Rubbing a soothing hand up and down the brunettes back, she shushed her.

"Luna's not going to die. I've known her for years now and I've seen her talk her way out of a thousand situations without the need to even draw her knife. She'll be fine."

Pulling away, Clarke gazed into teary green eyes.

"She will be fine, but we won't be if we don't get back to the ship. That guy knows what you look like, so if we're seen we could have trouble on our hands."

Suppressing a sniffle, Lexa nodded, a look of grim determination forming on her face. Giving a sympathetic smile, Clarke grabbed her hand, threading their fingers together, as she led her out of the alley. They needed to make it to the ship and get everyone prepared to leave at first light. With any luck, the Mountain Men would never know Lexa was on their ship and they'd make a clean getaway. Of course, that was only wishful thinking. Something was bound to go wrong.

* * *

Endnote: Want to send in a prompt, have questions about my fics, want to talk about writing, or want really inconsistent updates on my progress, come follow my tumblr GillyTweed


	5. Chapter 5

Notes: A new chapter in celebration of the New Year. Happy Death to 2016 everybody!

* * *

Surprisingly, nothing went wrong. They'd ducked and weaved through alley ways, dodging the odd person, but managed to make it to the Arkadia without further incident. Now inside the Infirmary, Clarke allowed herself to breath easy, the knot of worry in her chest loosening as she sat down on one of the beds and leaned back. Lexa, however, began pacing, an anxious energy forcing her limbs to move.

"How did they find me? I swam almost nonstop, and tracking is literally impossible in the ocean!"

The doctor watched as the brunette paced. She wasn't sure what she could do in this situation other than be a possibly comforting presence. She had no answers, only questions.

"Do you know who that man is?"

Lexa continued to pace, a hand on her chin and brow furrowed. She was obviously distressed because of the man. The fear on her face was evident.

"Yes, his name is Cage. He's the son of the leader of the Mountain, Dante. He was apart of the group that attacked my village."

The mermaid sneered as she described him. Her fists were clenching and unclenching, knuckles becoming bloodless and white.

"He is also the one that drains my people of their magik. How he could do such a despicable thing, I don't know. It kills us, slowly and painfully, yet he does it without remorse!"

Clarke waited, listening intently as Lexa continued to rant. The other girl was stressed, filled with more emotion than she could handle at once. Standing from her seat, she walked slowly to stand near the trail the mermaid was wearing into the floor.

"Do you remember anything during the attack that could be seen as odd? You did say that the Mountain Men use magik stolen from you, so could they possibly have tracked you using that?"

The doctor was just throwing out ideas at this point, completely ignorant of how magik actually worked, but was willing to learn. It seemed she'd struck a chord with the question, as Lexa's head snapped up from where her eyes were drilling into the floor.

"My neck... "

With shocking speed, the brunette was in front of her, gripping the blonde's arms with bruising force.

"He grabbed the back of my neck before I managed to dive into the water to escape. Did you see anything odd on my neck while you were caring for me?"

Frowning, Clarke tried to remember, but with Lexa so close, her brain was stuttering to a stop.

"I was a bit focused on the giant harpoon in your shoulder…"

Before she could react, Lexa was shedding her coat, tossing it onto a bed before unbuttoning her shirt with nimble fingers. Swallowing harshly, the blonde averted her eyes and silently chastised herself for feeling the pull of attraction during such a serious situation.

"Do you see anything?"

Peeking out of the corner of her eye, the expanse of Lexa's back and neck was laid bare for her as the brunette pulled her hair over a pale shoulder. The blonde paused at the sight, taking in the tattoo that covered the length of her spine. Stepping closer, she hovered a hand over the ink, hesitant to touch.

"Are you supposed to have a tattoo on your back?"

"Yes."

The answer was short, but the blonde could still feel her anxiety as her eyes traveled up to the nap of her neck and the image that resided there.

"What about your neck?"

The way the mermaid stiffened was all she needed to know. The tattoo, an infinity symbol, partially broken on the lower right side, was placed just at the top of her spine, just above the top most vertebrae. With shaking fingers, she traced the curving lines, feeling a small amount of misplaced pride at the shiver it produced in the taller girl.

"It's an infinity symbol. Do you know what it means?"

Lexa turned to pierce her with a dark gaze, uncaring of her lack of shirt.

"No, but I know how to break it. Come here."

Without waiting for a response, Lexa breezed past the blonde and slide onto a bed with determined grace. Sitting cross legged, she beckoned Clarke over.

"I need you to sit behind me to act as a focus point and a reservoir of energy. If he's competent at all with magic, he'll know instantly what I'm trying to do if I use my own, which might draw him here. If I use yours, it will hopefully appear as though a foreign power accidentally interrupted the spell."

Not entirely understanding the details, Clarke nodded, sliding behind the other girl, she mirrored her position, legs crossed.

"Alright, place your hand over the symbol and try to relax. It might feel a bit odd considering I'll be literally manipulating your life force."

Despite knowing that the last part should make her more concerned than it actually did, she shrugged and placed her fingers on the tattoo. Breathing a sigh, she closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders, waiting for the 'odd' sensation.

It came slowly. Like a gentle tugging on the nerves in her fingers, making them tingle. The feeling slowly moved up her arm, into her shoulder, pulling and tugging, feeling as though blood was being drawn from the rest of her body to pool in her elbow and hand. Eventually, it got to her chest, making her gasp as a mild, calming coolness swirled in her lungs. Her arm felt heavy, unable to be moved from its position resting on Lexa's shoulders. A buzzing began in her ears, drowning out the sounds of waves lapping at the ship's hull, and the stomping of boots as the crew returned for the night. Eventually, all she could focus on was the chill in her chest and the feeling of warm skin under her hand. Each sensation dueled for her attention until they too became drowned out by an overwhelming heaviness.

Suddenly, flashes of awareness exploded across her senses. Screams. The sight of a roaring fire as a cottage burned to the ground. More screams. The man from the bar, face twisted into a cruel laugh as his arm plunged down, knife in hand. The jarring feeling of two swords meeting. A great impact to the chest, bruising and painful, and then an all encompassing darkness. She swam in the dark for a moment, body becoming heavy and colder by the second, lungs aching. The burn of sea water as it rushed into her lungs, then a silent, painful scream before blackness once again.

The flashes receded slowly, as did the heavy feeling in her arm and the coolness in her chest. After several long moments, she blinked her eyes open again. She sat as she had when they started, but Lexa was slumped forward, body slack. Swallowing thickly, Clarke pulled the limp brunette against her, careful to avoid the back of her neck, now red and angry as though the symbol had been burnt away.

"Lexa?"

Her voice was raspy and filled with fatigue, as though she'd swam across the ocean in a matter of minutes. With a trembling hand, she brushed brown locks from a sweat slicked forehead, frowning in worry at the sight of Lexa blinking groggily.

"Lex?"

Her voice is stronger now, and garners a groan as a response.

"Did it work?"

Another groan accompanied with a shaky nod.

"It was stronger than I expected…"

The mermaid's voice was quiet, tired sounding. Reaching awkwardly, Clarke grabbed one of the blankets from the end of the bed and wrapped it around the other girls still bare torso. With a low groan, the blonde slide from the bed, lowering the brunettes limp body to the mattress.

"Rest. I'll go make sure everything's ready to leave tomorrow."

Lexa gave a jerky nod before rolling over, curling up into herself, shivering, as though she were freezing. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, Clarke padded over to the infirmary door, not expecting it to open just as she reached for the handle.

"Clarke!"

The voice of Raven whispered loudly, a hint of panic in her tone.

"Clarke, we have a visitor and I don't think they came to share booze."

The mechanic looked worried as the doctor stepped into the hall. She tapped her cane on the floor nervously, eyes darting down each length of the hall. She jiggled her mangled leg on the floor, a nervous habit that had developed once she'd become accustomed to the feeling of wood replacing her lower leg. The hollow thunk of wood from within the brunette's boot creating a rapid rhythm of anxious taps.

"Some guy on the main deck, is wondering about a brunette girl on the run. I'm pretty sure he means Lexa but I get some bad vibes from him, man. His face could scare a baby, I swear."

Placing a calming hand on the brunettes shoulder, Clarke waited for her rambles to end.

"I'll talk to him. Has anyone said anything?"

The mechanic shook her head, teeth worrying her lip.

"No, we wanted to get you first."

Nodding, the blonde motioned for Raven to lead on. The trip to the upper deck was short, but long enough for Clarke to become nervous. She had no doubt that the man asking for Lexa was Cage, and his display in the bar, shooting a rowdy customer, made her warier of the man. He was unpredictable, an unknown, something that she disliked dealing with greatly. If he were a pirate or a mercenary, she would be able to deduct his motives in moments, but he wasn't. He was a Mountain Man, a man with magik that had an unknown goal. All she knew was that he wanted to hurt Lexa in some way, something that she couldn't allow.

As the breeze of the open air surrounded them, the blonde took a deep breathe. The action calmed the anxiety buzzing in the back of her mind, clearing her thoughts as Cage came into view. Now getting a good look at him in the light cast by the torches dotting the deck, she felt her blood boil. This was the man that burned Lexa's village to the ground, laughing and smiling as he tried to kill her. He looked like a respectable person at first glance. Clean shaven and recently bathed, he wore a fine jacket over decent quality clothes, showing his lack of want for anything, but the smile that adorned his face had the small hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. The smile spoke of ambition and cruelty, an expression that, as Raven said really would "scare a baby." Straightening her back, she strode over to the man, attempting to look more confident than she felt.

"Hello, what can I do for you? My crewmate here says you're looking for someone."

Cage leaned casually against the one of the main masts as though he owned it, and only tilted his head to look at the blonde with a hint of disdain.

"I asked to see the Captain or the Quartermaster, not some little girl. Where are they?"

It seemed the arrogant man was determined to add more reasons to hate him. Without taking her eyes off Cage, Clarke reached a hand out to grab Ravens wrist as the shorter girl went for her pistol. While in normal circumstances she would shoot him herself for the blatant disrespect, she didn't want to draw more attention to themselves than necessary, and to be honest, nothing drew more attention than murder.

"Despite your views, Sir, I am the Quartermaster and I expect to be treated with respect. If you can't deal with that, then I suggest you leave before I let Reyes here shoot you point blank."

Cage scoffed as he pushed himself off of the mast. Crossing his arms, he turned to actually face the young women before him.

"I'm looking for a girl. About your height, brunette. I heard you picked up a young woman stranded at sea on your last voyage. Is she here?"

It seemed Luna had given them an out, making him believe they had no idea she was a mermaid. It was an ingenious plan, twisting the story to make them seem like they'd played the good samaritan to save a drowning girl.

"Yes, we did pick up a girl of that description. She left as soon as we landed. She said she needed to leave as soon as possible."

Cage nodded, irritation obvious. His lips pursed, as though someone had fed him a particularly sour lemon, and the muscles in his jaw jumped.

"Thank you for the information."

If his displeasure wasn't any more evident, the way he spun on his heel and stomped down the gangplank gave it away perfectly. Once he'd gone, Raven turned to her, expression curious.

"Why'd you lie? He could be trying to help her?"

Sighing, the blonde rubbed her eyes. If anyone else of the crew but Raven had been the one to deal with Cage, she was certain that they would have blabbed all about the mermaid they'd found, giving away every detail. She'd have to call a meeting and explain their new mission once they were on the water. It seemed secrecy would be needed every time they disembarked.

"Because I know he's not. I'll explain everything once we cast off tomorrow. Right now, just be sure no one talks to anyone with a mountain symbol on them, and make sure none of them come on board. Make sure everyone on the crew knows."

Obviously confused but unwilling to question, Raven nodded obediently before returning to her guard post near the gangplank. Scrubbing her face harshly with her palms, Clarke sighed and looked to the sky. The heavens were filled with a bright array of stars, dotting the night like glowing diamonds. Even though the constellations were different, the great glittering expanse still made her feel nostalgic, dragging up memories from long before her time on the high seas. Feeling tears prickle at the corners of her eyes, she snapped them closed harshly. Now wasn't the time to get lost in memories. She needed to go check on Lexa and tell her of their unexpected guest.

Trudging down the stairs to the lower decks, she paused for a moment before entering, listening down the hall as the chatter of the crew floated from the mess hall. Normally, she would join them, talking and laughing as they described their exploits, or lack thereof, of the evening. However, there was a small tug in her chest, drawing her back to the infirmary and the mermaid that resided there. It wasn't something she could explain, but she also had no desire to. Lexa seemed to calm and excite her all at once. It was an electrifying and addicting experience that she never wanted to end. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she turned the door handle slowly and opened the door only enough to slip through.

The candles that were interspersed throughout the room had been replaced and lit while she and Lexa had been on land, their soft glow filling the darkened room. The light illuminated Lexa's curled form, the curve of her back and the gentle rise and fall of her side as she slept. Whatever she had done to break the spell, it had taken it's toll, putting the mermaid into a deep sleep that Clarke was loath to wake her from. However, she knew that it would be better to inform her of their unexpected visitor sooner than later, lest any other Mountain Men came knocking.

Kneeling next to the mermaids bed, she tucked a strand of hair behind a small ear. The movement gained almost no reaction, only a slight stutter in her breathing before it evened out once again.

"Lexa, I need you to wake up. I need to tell you something."

Her low voice had the other girl stirring, scrunching her face cutely at the interruption of her rest. Another gentle brush of a hand on her brow and the brunette was blinking awake, eyes hazy with sleep.

"Clarke?"

The sound of her name being said by Lexa with a sleep roughened voice sent a shiver down her spine, but she pushed it away to focus on the matter at hand.

"Come'on, Lex, I have something to tell you."

A tired nod has her standing up to sit on the bed opposite, but a hand on her wrist pulled her to sit on the brunettes. The taller girl sat up with a groan, scooting over so the blonde had a place to sit. After rubbing her eyes, she settled her gaze expectantly on Clarke, hands pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

"Cage came by. He was asking about you."

She continued quickly as the other girl stiffened in panic.

"He doesn't know you're here. Luna was able to make up a story about us finding you stranded so it looks like we don't know you're a mermaid. I told him that you left almost as soon as we got into port."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lexa nodded. Her shoulders slumping as the panic drained way. The movement made her wince and bring a hand up to massage the back of her neck, dragging several questions to the forefront of Clarke's mind.

"When we… broke the spell… I saw some things…. Were they…?"

She trailed off as Lexa nodded.

"Yes, those were memories. I saw some of yours as well."

The blonde flinched at the sound of pity in the other girl's voice, knowing exactly what memories she saw. A hand on her shoulder made her tense.

"I promise that I didn't know that would happen."

The mermaid's voice sounded almost pleading, as though she was begging forgiveness. Chewing on her lip, Clarke forced herself to relax. She'd seen things of Lexa's past that were no doubt equally if not more painful, so it was only fair.

"It's okay. I saw your memories too, so I guess we're even."

Her response brought a relieved smile to the mermaids face as she relaxed. It seemed she feared angering the blonde as she'd done with the compulsion. Suddenly feeling tired, weighed down by the knowledge that Lexa knew her pitiful tale, she yawned.

"I think we should sleep. Breaking the spell really drained both of us."

The mermaid gave a tired hum, laying back down as Clarke stood. The blonde stretched as she walked to her hammock, shedding her borrowed coat and shucking her boots haphazardly. She had a lot to do tomorrow, so an early night was just what the doctor ordered.

* * *

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